patient

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance

   a patient smile

2. 2
   noun

   a person who requires medical care

   the number of emergency patients has grown rapidly

3. 3
   adj

   Willing to wait if necessary; not losing one's temper while waiting.

   Be patient: your friends will arrive in a few hours.

4. 4
   adj

   Constant in pursuit or exertion; persevering; calmly diligent.

   patient endeavour

5. 5
   adj

   Physically able to suffer or bear.

   To this outward structure was joined that strength of constitution, patient of severest toil and hardship; insomuch that for the most part of his life, in the fiercest extremity of cold, he took no other advantage of a fire, than at the greatest distance that he could, to look upon it.

6. 6
   noun

   A person or animal that receives health care from a doctor, nurse, dentist, allied health practitioner, or other person educated in health care.

   Hello, is your practice currently accepting new patients? I'd like to become a patient there if so.

7. 7
   noun

   The noun or noun phrase that is semantically on the receiving end of a verb's action.

   The subject of a passive verb is usually a patient.

8. 8
   noun

   One who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive recipient.

   Malice is a passion so impetuous and precipitate, that it often involves the agent and the patient.

Etymology

From Middle English pacient, from Middle French patient, from Old French pacient, from Latin patiens, present participle of patior (“to suffer, endure”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hate, hurt”).